Object Groups

Born in Washington, D.C., Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington rose to fame at Harlem's Cotton Club in the late 1920s. His career as a musician, composer and bandleader spanned more than 50 years. Among his many compositions are hundreds of short pieces and more ambitious extended works, including operas, ballets, musicals, concert pieces (such as "Black, Brown and Beige") and the "Sacred Concerts." Duke Ellington and his orchestra toured the United States and made frequent successful tours abroad. He was decorated with numerous awards and honors, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom (presented by Pres. Nixon, 1969). Duke Ellington led his orchestra until his death, when it was taken over by his son, Mercer.

Summary

Orchestrations (scores and parts), music manuscripts, lead sheets, transcriptions, and sheet music make up some of the Duke Ellington Collection. Also includes concert posters, concert programs; television, radio, motion picture and musical theater scripts; business records, correspondence, awards, as well as audiotapes, audiodiscs, photographs, tour itineraries, newspaper clippings, magazines, caricatures, paintings, and scrapbooks, all from the heyday of Duke Ellington (1920's-1975).

Cite as

Duke Ellington Collection, 1920's-1975, Archives Center, National Museum of American History

William Russo was the Director of the Contemporary American Music Program at Columbia College, Chicago. Active in music from 1947 until his death in 2003, he toured Europe as the leader of a quintet; lived in London, where he conducted the London Jazz Orchestra and worked with the BBC; and lived and taught in New York and Chicago. Russo was noted in the fifties as a composer of experimental music for Stan Kenton's orchestra and Third Stream Music for the Russo orchestra. He has been a trombonist, composer, arranger, and conductor.

Summary

Full conductor score, orchestral parts, and choral parts to "In the Beginning God," "Tell Me It's the Truth," "The Lord's Prayer," "Ain't But the One".

Cite as

William Russo Transcription and Arrangement of Duke Ellington's First Concert of Sacred Music, 1967-1968, Archives Center, National Museum of American History

Dentist and amateur photographer, Theodore Shell graduated from Shaw University in 1937 and served 5 years in the military during WWII. He received his dentistry degree from Howard University in 1950 and founded chapter 90 of the Duke Ellington Society in the late 1950s.

Herman Leonard was born in Allentown, Pennsylvania, and served as a military photographer in Burma during World War II. He earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Ohio University and is best known for his photographs of jazz musicians. His 1988 premiere London photograph exhibit was entitled "Images of Jazz."

Betty McGettigan met Duke Ellington while coordinating a benefit concert for the California Youth Symphony, ca. 1969. Shortly thereafter, she began working with him as a writer/secretary, especially on the opera QUEENIE PIE.

Summary

The bulk of this collection consists of materials pertaining to QUEENIE PIE, a comic opera in seven scenes. Also included are publicity, correspondence for the opera, Ellington's autobiography MUSIC IS MY MISTRESS, and a script for the Ellington work, MY PEOPLE.

Eight commercial 33-1/3 r.p.m. recordings of music produced by Duke Ellington, with album covers autographed by Ellington to Judge Quealy; and a Christmas card from Ellington addressed to Judge Quealy.

Cite as

William H. Quealy Collection of Duke Ellington Recordings, 1950-1970, Archives Center, National Museum of American History

A leading alto saxophonist and arranger of the swing period. Born in Charleston, S.C.; performed with the Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra (1929-1942) and Harry James Orchestra (1944-1964). He also performed briefly with Duke Ellington, 1951-1953.

Summary

Correspondence, event programs, photographs, and music manuscripts documenting Smith's career as a jazz musician and arranger.

Cite as

Willie Smith Collection, 1945-1958, Archives Center, National Museum of American History

Sister and only sibling of Duke Ellington; graduated New College program, Columbia University, with degree in biology. In 1941, Duke Ellington established Tempo Music and installed Ruth Ellington as its president. Her duties included signing contracts, arrangingtravel, and keeping Duke's music copyrighted. After his death in 1974, Ms. Ellington maintained Tempo until 1995, when she sold 51% of the company to a New York publisher, Music Sales. Ruth Ellington resides in new York City, and continues to promote Duke's Sacred Concerts.

Summary

Correspondence, appointment books, business records, music manuscripts, sound recordings, photographs, and ephemera documenting the activities of Duke Ellington and the management of Tempo Music, Inc. Photographs are unprocessed.

Cite as

Ruth Ellington Collection, 1940-1991, Archives Center, National Museum of American History